Political Henchmen

The Sturmabteilung (SA) was a paramilitary organization in Nazi Germany that played a significant role in the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Founded in 1921, the SA was originally formed to provide protection for Nazi Party meetings and rallies.

Under the leadership of Ernst Röhm, the SA grew rapidly in size and power, and became known for their street brawls with political opponents, particularly members of the Communist Party. The SA also played a key role in the failed Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, in which Hitler and his supporters attempted to overthrow the Bavarian government.

In the early years of the Nazi Party, the SA served as the party's primary enforcers and provided a sense of camaraderie and belonging for its members. However, as the Nazi Party grew in popularity and began to acquire political power, the SA became increasingly powerful and influential.

In 1934, Hitler felt threatened by the SA's growing power and purged the organization in a violent event known as the Night of the Long Knives. Many SA leaders, including Röhm, were executed or imprisoned, and the organization was greatly weakened. The purge also solidified the power of the Schutzstaffel (SS), another Nazi paramilitary organization led by Heinrich Himmler.

Following the Night of the Long Knives, the role of the SA was greatly diminished, and the organization was largely absorbed into the larger structure of the Nazi Party. The SA continued to exist throughout the Nazi era, but its influence was greatly reduced, and it played a much smaller role in Nazi politics and society.